POLAND BECOMING TRANSIT, DESTINATION COUNTRY FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING – UN EXPERT

POLAND BECOMING TRANSIT, DESTINATION COUNTRY FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING – UN EXPERT
New York, May 29 2009 2:00PM
Poland's accession to both the European Union (EU) and the Schengen zone has transformed it into both a transit and destination country for human trafficking, a United Nations independent expert <"http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/030DFD8859137E9FC12575C5004F5437?opendocument">said today, noting that the Eastern European nation has made progress in fighting the scourge.

The scale of trafficking was already serious in Poland, but has become aggravated in the past five years due to joining the EU and the Schengen zone, Joy Ngozi, the Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, said, wrapping up a six-day visit to the country.

"The endemic forms of trafficking include, but are not limited to, trafficking for labour exploitation, for prostitution and other forms of sexual exploitation," she said.

According to information provided by both the Government and by non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the number of trafficking cases is on the rise.

Poland has ratified key international and human rights treaties, including the Protocol on Trafficking in Persons to the 2000 UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (Palermo Protocol), under which States are required to take action to ensure the protection of trafficking victims, prevent trafficking and bring traffickers to justice.

Ms. Ngozi said that the Government has taken steps in combating the scourge through cooperation with neighbouring countries. It has amended its Criminal Code to punish perpetrators of trafficking and has a law on domestic violence in place.

Further, Poland has a comprehensive law on trafficking in human organs and tissue, "which is very forward-looking and has been enacted and is indeed a welcome development as we must ensure that all forms of trafficking are criminalized," she added.

But the Rapporteur, who reports to the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council in an independent and unpaid capacity, noted that there are other steps the country must take to effectively address human trafficking.

Poland lacks a clear definition of trafficking in its criminal law, labour exploitation is on the rise and availability and access to help for trafficking victims is limited, she said.

Additionally, judicial proceedings for trafficking cases are unduly long, lasting two years on average. "Thus, efforts should be made by the Ministry of Justice and the Judiciary to shorten the period and provide early case closure that will bring succour to victims and reduce trauma suffered, while redirecting focus to victims' full reintegration and rehabilitation," she noted.
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EU: China Summit Needs Rights Focus

May 19, 2009

(New York) - As the European Union (EU) and China prepare for their semi-annual summit in Prague on May 20, Human Rights Watch called on European leaders to press China to respect its international human rights obligations.

The summit, the first since Beijing abruptly called off the planned December 2008 gathering in France as part of an offensive to dissuade European leaders from meeting with the Dalai Lama, will be held under the framework of the Czech presidency of the Council of the European Union. The delegation of the People's Republic of China will be led by Prime Minister Wen Jiabao.

"The EU would be mistaken to let business and trade interests trump human rights," said Sophie Richardson, Asia advocacy director at Human Rights Watch. "Without the rule of law and respect for fundamental rights China simply cannot become a better partner for the EU."

Although the EU holds regular human rights dialogues with China, including one in Prague on May 14, those discussions have consistently failed to deliver any concrete result since they began over a decade ago.

"The human rights dialogues increasingly serve as a pretext to segregate human rights concerns away from high level talks such as the present summit," said Richardson. (For more information on Human Rights Watch's view of EU-China relations, please click here).

Human Rights Watch pointed out that since the last EU-China summit the human rights situation in China has markedly worsened in several key respects, including:

• In Tibet, where hundreds of detainees are still unaccounted for, and which is still not freely accessible to media and visitors;
• The ongoing detention of one of China's most prominent dissidents, Liu Xiaobo, for his role in drafting an appeal for human rights and democracy, Charter 08; and
• The harassment of the families of school children who died during the Sichuan earthquake in May 2008, many of whom are demanding an official inquiry into the buildings' deficiencies.

As the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen massacre nears, Human Rights Watch also called on the EU to stand firm on the arms embargo put in place shortly after the bold crackdown on students and demonstrators during the night of June 3 to 4, 1989.

"China still refuses to acknowledge that it did anything wrong by turning the army against its own people in 1989," said Richardson. "Until this happens, the embargo should stay."

GHANAIAN TROOPS JOIN UN MISSION IN CHAD, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

GHANAIAN TROOPS JOIN UN MISSION IN CHAD, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
New York, May 14 2009 12:00PM
Over 100 Ghanaian soldiers have joined the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the war-ravaged nations of Chad and the Central African Republic (CAR), it was announced today.

In a move welcomed by the mission, known as MINURCAT, 131 Ghanaian troops are in transit and will replace departing forces in the Farchana area of eastern Chad.

They will join 71 Ghanaian blue helmets deployed to <"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/minurcat/">MINURCAT last March, and at full strength, the mission will include 800 peacekeepers from Ghana.

In September 2007, the Security Council approved the establishment in Chad and CAR, in concert with the European Union (EU), of a UN-mandated, multidimensional presence, including European Union (EU) military forces, to help protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian aid to thousands of people uprooted due to insecurity in the two countries and neighbouring Sudan.

On 15 March, UN peacekeepers took over the military and security responsibilities of EUFOR after the Council approved the deployment of an additional 5,500 blue helmets to serve with MINURCAT. However, deployment currently stands at half that level.

Eastern Chad faces an acute humanitarian challenge, with over 290,000 Sudanese refugees from the conflict in Darfur, Sudan, more than 180,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) and a further 700,000 individuals among host communities in need of food, water and health care.

Northern CAR has also been affected by a spill-over from Darfur as well as by displacement resulting from other armed conflicts.
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SENEGAL: UNAIDS LAUDS RELEASE OF MEN JAILED FOR THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATION

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) today welcomed the release of nine men, members of a Senegalese AIDS awareness group, who had been imprisoned for their sexual orientation.

The men were arrested last December and sentenced the following month by the Senegalese courts for "acts against nature and the creation of an association of criminals."

UNAIDS, the UN Development Programme (UNDP), civil society organizations, the French Embassy and the Swedish Embassy representing the European Union (EU) mounted a campaign to secure the release of the detainees, who work for an organization called AIDES Senegal.

"Homophobia and criminalization based on a person's sexual orientation is fueling the AIDS epidemic," said UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé. "We urge Senegal to remove such laws that block the AIDS response."

The agency stressed that the rights of men who have sex with men must be protected, with laws prohibiting sexual acts between consenting adults in private being amended to curb stigma and discrimination.

Further, UNAIDS called for the enforcement of anti-discrimination, the provision of legal aid services and the promotion of campaigns that address homophobia.
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EFFORTS TO END CURRENT GAZA ‘IMPASSE’ IMPERATIVE – UN POLITICAL CHIEF

A top United Nations official today called for progress to be made in implementing a January Security Council resolution – which calls for a durable ceasefire in Gaza, free access for relief workers and the re-opening of crossings – to break the current impasse and lift the cloud of uncertainty hanging over the region.

Two months have passed since unilateral ceasefires were declared to end the three-week offensive launched by Israel on 27 December with the stated aim of ending rocket attacks by Hamas and other groups.

At least 1,300 Palestinians were killed and some 5,300 were injured in the heavy bombardment and fighting in the densely populated areas of Gaza, which also reduced homes, schools, hospitals and marketplaces to rubble.

"Despite international engagement and support, very little concrete progress has been made on key issues" outlined in resolution 1860, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynn Pascoe told the Council in an open meeting.

"The intolerable situation at Gaza's crossings remains the key impediment to bringing help – and hope – to the people of Gaza," he stressed.

Although the amount of goods entering Gaza has increased and the Israeli Cabinet announced earlier this week that more food would be allowed into the area, "the quality and quantity of imports are insufficient compared to needs," Mr. Pascoe underscored.

He repeated the UN's call on Israel to meet its obligations under international humanitarian law and open the crossings to allow supplies and reconstructions materials in to help rebuild Gaza.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned that the ongoing restriction on the entry of cash into the area and the inability of many, including Palestinian Authority (PA) employees, to withdraw their salaries from banks is impacting the livelihoods of some 500,000 Gazans.

"We continue to be concerned that, despite Egyptian efforts, no ceasefire regime is in place," Mr. Pascoe told the meeting, which heard from dozens of speakers.

In spite of stepped-up efforts, no breakthrough has been made in securing the release of Israeli captive Gilad Shalit and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

Further, without a ceasefire in place, violence continues in the area, the Under-Secretary-General said, with over 100 rockets and mortars having been fired into Israel from Gaza and 12 Israeli airstrikes during the reporting period.

"We call for an end to all acts of violence, and for respect for international humanitarian law by all parties," he stated.

Mr. Pascoe also noted that the Board of Inquiry set up by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to investigate incidents involving death and damage at UN premises in Gaza during the hostilities will submit its report early next month.

He called on the so-called diplomatic Quartet – comprising the European Union (EU), Russia, the United States and the UN – and the international community to take concerted action to bring stability to Gaza and revive the Middle East peace process.

"We need to have both Israeli and Palestinian governments that are clearly committed to the two-State solution," the official said. "We need a combination of negotiations, the implementation of commitments on the ground, and a strategy for de-escalating tensions and addressing the urgent humanitarian needs in Gaza."
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EU Seeks Doubling Of IMF Funds

EU leaders have agreed to seek a doubling of International Monetary Fund (IMF) resources to enable it to help countries in the global economic downturn, according to a final draft to be presented at an EU summit on Friday.

The draft made no reference to the size of the possible EU contribution to any doubling. EU officials said late on Thursday the bloc would make a contribution of $75 billion, but wanted to consult first with other G20 countries.

The EU argues the IMF needs a greater role in surveillance and in providing more funds it can offer in emergency loans to countries in financial trouble.

EU leaders were also to go over contentious plans to spend $6.8 billion of unused EU budget funds for new power grids and green energy. The European Commission wants to spend freely on projects that will decrease the environmental burden on the continent.

However they declined other calls to open their purses. They resisted US pressure to expand the bloc's fiscal-stimulus plans and said they aren't ready to boost the EU's $25 billion emergency fund for struggling economies.

EU: Demand Accountability for Gaza Conflict Laws of War Violations

The European Union should press for a comprehensive and impartial international inquiry into allegations of serious violations of international law committed by Israeli and Palestinian forces in Gaza and southern Israel, Human Rights Watch said today. Failure to do so would suggest an indefensible double standard in the application of international justice.

In a letter sent today to EU foreign ministers attending the General Affairs and External Relations Council meeting in Brussels, Human Rights Watch said that "failure to push for accountability in Gaza would undermine the credibility of both the EU as a global voice for international justice and international justice institutions themselves."

"The European Union should publicly call for an international investigation into violations of international law during the Gaza conflict," said Lotte Leicht, European Union director of Human Rights Watch. "An EU failure to insist on accountability not only for pariahs like Sudan but also for friendly states such as Israel will badly undercut the EU's credibility on behalf of international justice."

Both Israel and Hamas have a poor record of conducting impartial investigations and of holding members of their own forces accountable for war crimes, the letter said. Similarly, current and planned international investigations are inadequate to address the apparent violations that occurred on both sides during the conflict.

The letter presents Human Rights Watch's basic findings on laws-of-war violations committed by both sides. Regarding Israel, Human Rights Watch's primary concerns are: the ongoing closure of Gaza, amounting to collective punishment; the use of high-explosive heavy artillery as well as of air-burst white phosphorus munitions in densely populated areas; the shooting of unarmed civilians holding white flags; the targeting of civilian structures; inadequate warnings to civilians of impending attack; and the wanton destruction of civilian property.

Regarding Hamas, Human Rights Watch's key concerns are: the firing of rockets deliberately and indiscriminately into civilian areas of Israel; the shooting of rockets and the conduct of military operations from within populated areas in Gaza; and the beatings and killings of Palestinian political opponents and critics in Gaza.

BLUE HELMETS TAKE OVER FROM EUROPEAN FORCE IN CHAD, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

BLUE HELMETS TAKE OVER FROM EUROPEAN FORCE IN CHAD, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
New York, Mar 15 2009 1:00PM

United Nations peacekeepers in Chad and the Central African Republic (CAR) today took over the military and security responsibilities of European forces in the two strife-torn nations.

Today's transfer, which took place at midnight local time, was marked by a ceremony, attended by Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Alain Le Roy, held in the Chadian city of Abéché, where MINURCAT's headquarters are located.

In January, the Security Council approved the deployment of over 5,500 blue helmets, 300 police officers, 25 military liaison officers and 5,200 military personnel with the UN mission (MINURCAT) to replace the European troops (EUFOR), which has been in place since March 2008.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today commended EUFOR for the key role it has played in bolstering security for internally displaced pe
rsons (IDPs), refugees and other vulnerable groups in eastern Chad and north-eastern CAR.

"As MINURCAT assumes its new responsibilities, the Secretary-General is confident that the force will build upon and strengthen EUFOR's military achievements while continuing to execute the full range of its mandated tasks, including to contribute to the promotion of human rights and the rule of law and to support the development of the Chadian community police (Détachement Intégré de Sécurité) deployed in eastern Chad," the statement added.

Eastern Chad faces an acute humanitarian challenge with over 290,000 Sudanese refugees from the Darfur war, more than 180,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) and a further 700,000 individuals among host communities in need of food, water and health care. Northern CAR has also been affected by a spill-over from the Darfur conflict as well as by other armed groups.

In its January resolution, the Security Council stressed that the multidimensional pres
ence in Chad and military presence in the CAR is intended to help create the security conditions conducive to a voluntary, secure and sustainable return of refugees and displaced persons, by boosting security protection, facilitating the provision of humanitarian aid, and promoting reconstruction and economic and social development.

The resolution empowers MINURCAT to "take all necessary measures, within its capabilities" to contribute to protecting civilians in danger, particularly refugees and IDPs, facilitate delivery of humanitarian aid and the free movement of humanitarian personnel, and protect UN personnel, facilities, installations and equipment.

Mr. Ban also said today that he is "grateful" for several EUFOR contributors' and new troop contributing countries' commitments to the UN force, and encouraged Member States to continue filling remaining gaps to ensure that MINURCAT is equipped to execute its mandate.

Currently, the Mission is composed of some 300 uniformed pers
onnel, mostly police, plus some 325 international civilians.

"In order to succeed, MINURCAT will need the active support of the Governments of Chad and the Central African Republic," the Secretary-General said, adding that he is grateful to both Governments for "their cooperation during the transition period and looks forward to working with them in the implementation of MINURCAT's mandate."

In September 2007, the Council approved the establishment in Chad and CAR, in concert with the European Union (EU), of a UN-mandated, multidimensional presence, including European Union (EU) military forces, in Chad and CAR to help protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian aid to thousands of people uprooted due to insecurity in the two countries and neighbouring Sudan.

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Romania in line to receive EUR20 billion IMF package.

Romania could receive about €20bn in an International Monetary Fund-led (IMF) rescue package as the result of negotiations between Bucharest and the IMF due to resume tomorrow.

The multilateral support package, aimed at averting an economic crisis in one of the European Union's poorest member states, is likely to be similar in size to the €20 billion made available to Hungary in November, according to an official familiar with the issue.

A delegation from the IMF will arrive in Romania on Wednesday for a two-week visit to discuss a possible loan to the crisis-hit country, the IMF said.

'"The program would be part of a pro-active, insurance-based multilateral financing package to be supported by the EU and the World Bank, among other international financial institutions," it added.

Romania will also ask the EU for financial help to balance its budget this year, the EU's top economy official said on Monday. EU Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Joaquin Almunia would not estimate how much Romania might need. The EU's 27 nations have up to €25 billion to lend to member states in trouble that don't use the euro currency. The bloc has already spent €9.6 billion bailing out Hungary and Latvia.

CYPRIOT LEADERS RESUME UN-LED TALKS ON PROPERTY

CYPRIOT LEADERS RESUME UN-LED TALKS ON PROPERTY
New York, Feb 25 2009 4:00PM

Focusing on the issue of property, the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders resumed talks today as part of United Nations-sponsored negotiations aimed at reunifying the Mediterranean island.

Greek Cypriot leader, Dimitris Christofias, and the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mehmet Ali Talat, met today in Nicosia, where they had a nearly two-hour tête-à-tête followed by discussions on the criteria for setting the property issue.

Speaking to reporters afterwards, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Cyprus, Tayé-Brook Zerihoun, said that the leaders have decided to continue these discussions next Thursday, 5 March.

After property, the next item of discussion will be matters concerning the European Union, he added.

In May 2007 the Cypriot leaders committed to a partnership that will comprise a Federal Government with a single international identity, as well as a Turkish Cypriot Constituent State and a Greek Cypriot Constituent State which will be of equal status.
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